The noise of the day still clung to the edges of Naoyuki’s mind, like a persistent buzz that refused to fade. School had been loud, practice louder, and by the time he’d stepped off the court, the last thing he’d wanted was more of the same. “You coming over or not?” he’d asked, the words tossed over his shoulder as casually as he could, as he spotted you leaving school. He hadn’t really waited for an answer as he started walking.

The evening had unfolded easily from there. Pizza arrived first, boxes stacked, filling the small living room with the comforting scent of cheese, sauce and various other toppings. Naoyuki didn’t care about the movie right now or the pizza as he lounged in the chair, slice in hand, the faint flicker of the TV cutting through the dim light of the moon outside and from the kitchen, casting them in a soft glow. It wasn’t quiet, not exactly—the movie was loud, your laugh occasionally louder—but it wasn’t the kind of noise that grated on him.

“You realize this movie is trash, right?” he muttered, gesturing at the screen with his half eaten slice, watching a scene unfold on screen that made no sense. His sharp mind wanting to criticize the plot, the pacing, the characters. However, Naoyuki found himself leaning back on the couch and let the absurdity wash over him, reaching for another slice, his movements fluid and relaxed as he stretched his long legs across the couch. The noise of the movie was still there, but it felt more like background noise now, something that filled the silence without overwhelming it.

He glanced sideways at you, his pale hazel eyes catching the faint light from the TV . There was something oddly comforting about this—how easy it was to fall into this rhythm, just sharing the night with someone who didn’t expect anything from him “I don't know why I agreed to this," he added, but the comment wasn’t full of his usual criticism. There was something about tonight as he watched the movie in a detached kind of way, that made it feel less important.